A poor man’s Sobers Eknath Solkar was born. How many players can find their places in the playing eleven just because of their fielding strength? Eknath Solkar, possibly the best forward short leg fielder, was one such player. Solkar transformed close-catching into a fine art. Nikki played a major part in the success of the Indian spin quartet.” Wait, you blighter, the series isn’t over yet” was Luckhurst’s words after Solkar caught him. Ekki caught Luckhurst third time,” Mr. Luckhurst, is the series over now?” ~Solkar. “He created catches out of thin air, like some Indian magician,” said John Arlott, the legendary commentator. In the words of Bedi, “We would not have been the same bowlers without him.”The outspoken Solkar had the guts to say Sobers, “You play your game, and I’ll play mine.”In the 1974 English summer, he challenged Geoff Boycott, “I will out you bloody.” and was successful with three successive dismissals of Boycott. During that tour playing against Yorkshire in the warm-up match at Bradford, Solkar was about to begin his spell when Ashok Mankad came and said, “This is my Bhagwaan that you are bowling too. If you can beat his bat, I’ll buy you a pint of lager tonight”, he had him lbw in front of middle stump.

Some of his excellent catches redefined close fielding.

1.1969-70 Calcutta Test: Brilliantly Caught Bill Lawry off Bedi. Later on, Lawry presented him with his bat.

2.1969-70 Delhi Test :Takes an excellent low catch to dismiss John Gleeson .

3.1971 Oval Test: Stunning catch of Allan Knott off Venkataraghavan, arguably the catch of the century.

4.1971 Oval Test: superb catching close to the wicket, to dismiss Keith Fletcher off B.S. Chandrasekhar’s